Fifty years of Dr. Martens

Flickr ::: Screenshot from Dr. Martens website

Fifty years ago this April 1st, one Doctor Klaus Marten of Munich, Germany, an inventor, collaborated with the shoe-making Griggs family of Northhampton, England, and an iconic shoe was born. It was, according to the company itself, "...an icon conceived of innovation and self-expression."

Raise your hand if you *don't* own a pair of Docs.

Flickr ::: Montage by MJ, screenshot from Dr. Martens website

My first of a half-dozen pairs was the classic black 8-hole boot, the 1460, the one that started the "quiet revolution". I wore it to school almost every day. Those fantastic AirWair soles kept my feet comfortable, walking from the farthest school parking lot, through the admin buildings, up the hill, across the lunch area and quad, and up the stairs to my classes (hey, Cal State Long Beach). I was an art student; Docs were part of my uniform and half the class wore them. My brother wore his steel toe boots for work (and otherwise). "They're to kick your ass with," he once said with a wink, "so you better not eat that last slice of pie."

Flickr ::: Montage by MJ, screenshot from Dr. Martens website

The 1460 that started out as a utilitarian work boot worn by postal, factory, and union workers crossed over first into the fringe and then into mainstream society, and has evolved into so many iterations, colors, designs, and styles. My 2 pairs of 8-holes are boxed up somewhere in the garage, reserved nowadays for motorcycle riding. These days my tastes are far more relaxed and directed toward comfort, so in a heartbeat I would pick these up: the Breeze Dona buckle toe post (top left) for weekend market and lazy days at the beach, the Breeze Toa gladiator sandal (bottom left) for everyday use, and the New Authentic wedge boot (right) for work and colder weather.

Happy birthday, Dr. Martens!

Dr Martens ::: 1460 Men's : 1460 Women's
The Vintage Collection ::: hand-cobbled shoes : made in the original Northhampton, England factory
Dr Martens For Life ::: boots and shoes with a lifetime guarantee